Walking in the Shoes of a Hero
by itachikage
Summary: After the Fifth Holy Grail War, Shirou makes the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of his ideals. But the story doesn't end there. His wish to the Greater Grail was heard, loud and clear. Rated M, just in case.
1. Prologue

Walking in the Shoes of a Hero

Prologue

So, I posted this one in my crossover ideas, and since it got pretty good reviews, so I decided to publish it on its own. Just an FYI, since this is just the prologue, the story will be an villain Shirou. If that's not your cup of tea, well, there's plenty of stories that might be. The story starts at the end of a slightly altered Heaven's feel, where Shirou is the sole survivor of the final battle.

Disclaimer: I don't own Highschool DxD or Fate/Stay Night.

Edit: Now Beta'd!

* * *

Shirou Emiya was going to die.

But at least he wouldn't be alone. To his left, he could see Rin's cold body, killed at the hand of her little sister, Sakura. And he'd been forced to kill Sakura himself. Saber was gone, killed by his hand on the way, and Kirei's black heart finally gave out. Even Ilya choose to sacrifice herself so that he could be spared.

But he couldn't grieve yet. Because the Greater Grail was still intact, and the black mud of All the World's Evils was still overflowing. He didn't have the strength to project anything strong enough to destroy it, and even if he could, the result could be the same as ten years ago. The risk of another fire, or potentially something much worse, made it a risky proposition at best to try and get rid of it.

Instead, he made the decision to release the grail's power in another way.

The black mud had already flooded the room. The bodies of those he cared about and the priest had long since vanished beneath the corrupting tide. His feet felt like they were on fire, but he preserved and struggled to where Ilya had lay. Even through the mud, a bright golden light could be seen.

Extending his right hand, the source of the light slipped from his grasp. Not surprising, really. Kotomine had said that only spiritual beings could hold the grail. But no servants survived.

"If I'm going to die anyway…" He sighed, wrapping his hand around the shroud of martin covering his left arm. The moment he removed the shroud, his death was assured. But it was the only way.

Ripping off the shroud, he immediately plunged his hand, Archer's hand, into the mud. This time, his hand was firmly grasped onto the golden cup even as every nerve in his body started to scream for mercy. His mind was already starting to give out. He couldn't even tell whether he was screaming or not.

Wrenching the cup into the air, he held up the cup and made his wish. The only wish he'd ever had.

"I want to be a Hero." He said as the mud covered him.

* * *

Obviously, since its just the prologue, it's much, much shorter then usual, but the next chapter will be normal length. I won't say when I'm going to be uploading the next chapter, but I'm going to wait until I finish the chapter after that, just in case I end up needing to make changes to continue the story.

In the mean time, if you want a sneak peak, I'm not going to be removing this story from my crossover ideas until I update it, so you're welcome to read it now. Though bare in mind that, as I mentioned, it could still be changed. Reviews are welcome, of course.


	2. Scourge of the Desert

Walking in the Shoes of a Hero

So, apparently readers want to see Shirou who is about as far from canon Shirou as is conceivably possible... Good to know. Here's chapter 2. Aside from very minor edits, it's the same chapter as was in my crossover ideas story, but the next one is nearly done. Just an FYI, if you only follow the DxD anime, and haven't gone browsing the wiki, you might get some spoilers in this and coming chapters.

Disclaimer: I don't own Highschool DxD or Fate/Stay night, and I'm not making any money from writing this. It's just something fun for me to do when I'm not in the mood to write some of the darker stories I'm working on (Yes, a villain Shirou is Lighter and Softer then some of the other stories I'm working on).

* * *

Shirou Emiya woke slowly as the blistering sandstorm continued to rage outside. It had been three years since the end of the Fifth Grail war. Since the day he made his wish and arrived at this place.

For some reason beyond his comprehension, he hadn't died that day. The mud hadn't corrupted him like it had Saber or Berserker or even Sakura. He wasn't destroyed by Archer's arm, which had been resealed by the shroud when he awoke. He was alive.

However, the world he lived in now wasn't his own. Three years ago, when he'd first awoke in England, he'd tried to return home to Fuyuki. But Fuyuki doesn't exist in this world. The town was gone, the school was gone, and Mount Enzo didn't exist at all. This was a world where the war that had caused his 'death' had never happened, but he couldn't be happy.

Even in this world, war was running rampant. Thousands of lives were lost a day, lives that could've been saved.

So it was then that Shirou Emiya set out to stop the fighting. But it would be two years before he realized the futility of that endeavour. No matter how many battles he ended, or lives he took, the fighting wouldn't end. But the path he himself had chosen didn't leave him any other option. The only way available to him is the way of the sword.

Getting out of bed, he tightened the shroud as he always did in the morning, then tossed on a travelling cloak to protect himself from the buffeting sand before heading out. A local militia would be starting a battle this afternoon, and the battle would cost too many civilian lives. He set up early so that he could find a good perch to shot from.

The town that would be targeted wasn't far away from the makeshift house he'd set up in a nearby cave system, but he would have to be extremely careful not to get lost in the sandstorm. Even a slight deviation could cost him his life.

Without much trouble, he reached the town and set up on top of the town hall. The sandstorm was just starting to let up, and it wasn't long before he could see the armed convoy the militia was travelling.

"Trace, On." He said, activating his circuits and creating both a bow and a sword. Notching the sword to the bowstring, he aimed carefully at the swiftly moving vehicles and fired. Caladbolg II tore through the air, exploding just ahead of the lead jeep. The car flipped backwards, probably killing at least some of the occupants, and he quickly notched a second sword to cut off the next closest.

Again and again, he rained death down upon those who would instigate violence, and it was not lost on him that he was slowly becoming the very thing he despised. The very thing he wanted to avoid being.

He wasn't any different than Archer.

* * *

"So, Azazel, what was the reason you summoned this meeting so suddenly?" Sirzechs Lucifer asked the Fallen Angel leader across the table from him.

"I'm rather interested in that myself." Odin, the All-Father of the Norse nodded in agreement, "Valhalla hasn't formally entered this little treaty, so I believe my presence here is a tad unusual?"

"Nonsense, Lord Odin." Michael smiled warmly, "Regardless of the matter, I can see no harm in letting you register an opinion."

"Besides, you already said that you were agreeable to the alliance." Azazel said, accepting a drink from Grayfia, "It may not be official, but I think that the very least we can do is not keep you out of the loop because of formalities."

"Seems a bit naive to me, Azazel, but I suppose that just shows you were never cut out to be a leader." The old man of the norse responded harshly, but Azazel just smiled back.

"Already we're in agreement. I would so like to retire and devote my talents to something much more interesting than governing." When his expression grew serious, all parties realized the time for jokes had passed, "After the incident with Vali and Katerea at the conference, I've been sending more of my resources towards investigating the Khaos Brigade. The organization is much larger than we initially believed."

"How much so?" Sirzechs asked, "I can imagine that someone like Ophis can gather a large number of followers without much trouble."

"In addition to a large number of devils who sympathize with the Old Satans, there are at least three different magician orders, eight independent groups, including Vali's team which is particularly strong, and several angels, both Fallen and otherwise."

"How is that possible?" Michael said immediately, "The system judging the conduct of angels is in perfect working order. No angel should be able to engage in such acts without falling."

"I imagine there's a loophole of some kind." Azazel shrugged, "For example, they can help plan without falling as long as they don't actually get involved with the attacks. Of course, that's just a theory. Unfortunately, every spy I send to gather information dies before they can get back, which means that I've got spies in my organization as well. I find it hard to believe that they'd only target Michael and I. Sirzechs, you may want to heighten your security as well."

"Grayfia." He said to his queen behind him, who bowed immediately.

"I will make arrangements for a thorough investigation of all personnel authorized to act within the city."

"As pressing as the security problems are, I do not believe you would call us all together for just that." Michael said, the other two nodding in agreement.

"In truth, I thought that the message would be best delivered personally." Azazel replied sadly, "You never who you can trust at this point. I trusted that kid like my own son…." Shaking away the bad thoughts, Azazel smiled again, "But you're right. There's another matter that I think is of greater concern than just a spy in our midst."

"You've a flair for the dramatics as always, so speak up." Odin said after a few seconds of silence.

"The largest group of the Khaos Brigade isn't the devils of the Old Satan Faction. Instead, they call themselves the 'Hero faction'." The serious expression grew even deeper with his next words, "The leader is Cao Cao, a descendant of the legendary hero of the Three Kingdoms."

"A descendant of a hero?" Sirzech frowned, "That is serious."

"You haven't heard the worst of it." Azazel said, looking each leader in the eye, "Cao Cao was chosen to inherit the Ultimate Longinus, true Longinus. The spear will absolutely kill a god."

That proclamation visibly shocked everyone in the room. For all their powers, none of them could risk contact with that spear.

"For the wielder of the Holy Spear to join with Terrorists is a severe blow indeed." Michael sighed deeply.

"And a descendant of a hero? There's never been a Longinus possessed by a hero before." Odin added, "A severe blow may be an understatement."

"Am I correct in assuming that this 'Hero Faction' is dedicated to gathering the descendants of Heroes?" Sirzechs asked, and Azazel nodded in response.

"Yes, and the news doesn't get any better, I'm afraid." He nodded, "I haven't been able to get a firm count of their numbers or names, but I can confirm at least two additional longinus among them. Both Annihilation Maker and Dimension Lost have sided with the Khaos Brigade. Multiple lesser Sacred gear are present as well. In terms of battle strength, I think it's safe to assume that the Hero Faction is their greatest force."

"Three of the four Top-tier Longinus?" Michael said in horror, "Almighty Father…"

"Add in Vali, and that's a third of the Longinus on their side. Knowing the wielder, it's probably a pretty safe bet to assume that they'll also be getting their hands on Incinerate Anthem." Azazel sighed, "This isn't going to be easy by any stretch of the imagination. Our side, on the other hand, only has three. Boosted Gear, Zenith Tempest, and Canis Lykon. In the Longinus department, we're at a disadvantage."

"That is cause for alarm then." Sirzechs nodded thoughtfully, creating a magic circle, "Falliburn, you heard that?"

"Yes, I did." The voice of Falliburn Asmodeus responded from the circle, "I'll relay the information to our assault teams. They can't be allowed to catch us unaware."

"I leave it to you then." Sirzechs nodded, closing the circle.

"I've instructed my staff to keep an eye out for the remaining Longinus. We still have a chance to get Telos Karma, Innovate Clear, Regulas Nemea, Sephiroth Graal and Absolute Demise on our side." Azazel continued, "I've already contacted the Magician's Association. At the very least, given their history, Slash Dog should be able to keep Lavinia out of the fight."

"I think it would be wise to work to strengthen our forces to counter this threat." Micheal added, removing a deck of cards from his pocket, "Thankfully, Lord Beelzebub was able to finish the first batch yesterday."

"And your 'Joker'?" Azazel asked.

"I've decided on Dulio." He answered, "And the knowledge that our enemies possess so many Longinus makes me believe that I've made the right choice strengthening the trump card we possess."

"'Trump card.'" Odin snorted, "Was that an attempt at a pun, Michael? Because if it was, it was so bad, it's a wonder you didn't fall."

Ignoring Odin's jest, Michael addressed Azazel, "There's a matter I've been meaning to discuss with you, Azazel. You see, three years ago-"

* * *

Shirou sighed as he disembarked from the plane. It had been over a year since he returned home. Not to Fuyuki, obviously, but to new home in this world, London. His work in the middle east had earned him more then enough to set up a small apartment away from the violence that had otherwise taken over his life. One of the few things that he was doing differently from Archer, who had devoted himself wholeheartedly to his ideals without rest.

The apartment was only a few minutes away from the airport, so it didn't take long for him to walk inside and relax for the first time in a long while. His suitcases were left by the door while he went first to shower before collapsing into bed.

Even while sleeping, he didn't really get a chance to rest. Archer's arm was continuing to invade his mind, forcing him to relive various pieces of his past. Occasionally, he would also relieve Saber's life, but those dreams were never any better.

Tonight, however, he saw the strangest dream yet. It started with a scene he'd seen countless times before, Saber drawing forth the sword from the stone, but even as Merlin spoke to warn her of the fate that awaited her, the scene changed. Instead, he saw himself, almost no different then he was now, standing in a snowy street. In front of him was a being that he could only describe as an entity of pure prana. The amount of power radiating from it would've made even the mightiest of heroes buckle. He could hear it speak to him, promising him the power to change the fate of one hundred doomed souls in exchange for him becoming a counter guardian to protect the world until the end of time.

It didn't take him long to realize what this Shirou, or rather, what Archer's answer had been.

The remainder of the scene didn't play out, as Shirou awoke to the shrill sound of his amateurish bounded field being broken. He immediately created Kanshou and Byakuya to repel the attackers. It almost certainly couldn't have been a magus. Just about any mage could have broken his field without triggering it, and the fact that the field had triggered but his other mechanical traps hadn't would imply that he wasn't dealing with anyone magic.

Or it could just mean that the mages of this world were very different from those of his own world.

Regardless, he slipped silently out of bed with his blades drawn and crept into the other room. He wasn't able to sneak up on the attacker, however, since he was sitting in the chair directly in front of him.

"Good evening." The white haired man bowed, "Shirou Emiya, I presume?"

"This is my house, so I would think so." Shirou replied, raising his sword, "Get lost. Now."

"That wouldn't do." The man shook his head, "I can't very well conduct your assessment if I leave."

"Assess-" Shirou started to ask, but was forced to stop in order to parry two insanely quick slashes from the mystery man. Putting a bit of distance between them, Shirou quickly took stock of the opponent. This man wasn't just a random burglar he could toss out the window and leave the cops to drag him to jail. His skills were at least comparable to an average servant. He had drawn a sword in each hand, and still had three more sheathed at his waist. Five swords? And every one of them was recognizable. In his left, Tyrfing. Nothung was held in his right. At his waist. Shirou recognized the distinctive hilts of Balmung, Dáinsleif, and finally Gram. Each of them was a legendary nordic blade wielded by all manner of heroes, but no hero should be able to possess all five of them.

"Who the hell are you?" Shirou asked, and he gave a small smile.

"My name is Siegfried." He answered, bowing again, "You see, Mr. Emiya, I work for a certain organization that would be interested in recruiting an able warrior such as yourself. But, I'm sure you understand, we need to confirm you are in fact an able warrior. So, would you be so kind as to show me the power of the man called the Scourge of the Desert?"

"Fine." Shirou responded, "But once we're done, I want to know where you got those swords."

"Then let's get started!" Siegfried shouted, charging again with Tyrfing and Nothung, but this time Shirou was able to block them with Kanshou and Byakuya. The projection gave out and they disappeared, but that was a minor concern. Siegfried tried to attack him while he was defenseless, but he simply held out his hand.

"Rho Aias." He said, and the shield burst between them to interrupt the attack. By the time that Siegfried was preparing to go on the offensive again, Shirou had already projected the same two swords for himself. The two sets of legendary blades clashed in a shower of sparks, but it was clear that Shirou's were losing out. The blade of Nothung was dented from the impact, and though Tyrfing appeared intact, a more thorough exam showed that the structural integrity was severely compromised.

"A good effort." Seigfreid said, slashing with Nothung and shattering both the swords in his hand, "But you won't be able to defeat me with my own weapons. Least of all pale imitations of them."

"Then I'll have to take things a bit further." Shirou replied, taking a deep calming breath and surging mana through his magic circuits. In a low voice, he chanted the very first line. "I am the bone of my sword."

The sparks of magic roared to life, creating in his hand a legendary blade. If this man was in fact a Heroic spirit, which would account for both his skill and his weapons, then he would have the weaknesses of the legendary hero Siegfried.

The long black sword that appeared in his hand was a holy sword gifted to a valiant knight by the king of the realm, a counterpart of the king's own holy blade. The knight in question was hailed as the greatest knight of the realm, perhaps even stronger then the king herself.

Arondight, the Unfading Light of the Lake.

Normally, it would've been impossible for Shirou to create a divine construct like Arondight, but, for whatever reason, that wasn't the case in this world. The copy was even weaker than normal, but with such a well known weapon, even when its weaker, it should be enough to test his theory.

The aura that pulsed from the blade filled the room, and Siegfried flinched.

"How'd you guess?" Siegfried asked, sheathing his blades, "I doubt you created a dragon slayer by accident."

"You're a heroic spirit, aren't you?" Shirou guessed, "The legendary hero who bathed in the blood of Fafnir, Siegfried. The blood might make your body impervious to most weapons, but like everything dragon, they won't stop this sword."

Siegfried looked shocked for a moment, then grinned, "So fluke it is. Sorry, but I've never even heard of these spirits you're talking about. I'm Siegfried because I'm descended from the hero you speak of. Sadly, the blood of the dragon dwelt only with him. I'm as vulnerable to any sword as you." Grinning, he added, "Though I DO have something that makes that a particularly good choice."

Shirou watched as a red arm burst out his back and grabbed one of the swords at his waist, Gram. His two natural arms also drew forth Balmung and Dáinsleif.

"This is my sacred gear." Siegfied said, spinning each of the swords, "It's not particularly impressive though. It's called twice critical. All it does is allow me to double my power." Shirou tightened his defenses immediately, preparing for his strike, but he didn't attack. Instead, he pointed to the arm on his back.

"Mine's a bit different though. It's a subspecies that creates a dragon arm on my back. Which lets me use three of my swords AND double my power. But, as you say, a dragon slayer would make rather quick work of me."

"That's enough, Siegfried." A new voice said from the sidelines, along with clapping. Shirou turned around and saw a young man sitting at his coffee table, a spear laying across his shoulders. He had the most pleasant smile on his face, but he wasn't fooled in the slightest. Archer's arm was screaming at him that this man was dangerous, but Shirou didn't need any help figuring that out. And for some reason, he seemed vaguely familiar.

"So, we meet at last, Shirou Emiya." The man said, extending a hand with a smile, "I'm Cao Cao."

"I'm guessing you're a descendant of a hero too?" He asked since this man also didn't seem like a servant despite the name and the obvious power.

"Bingo!" He said with a thumbs up, "We've been watching you, Shirou, and we wanted to offer you the chance of a lifetime."

Shirou finally remembered where he knew him from. This man had appeared before Archer as well, and offered him the chance to become a hero. But Archer had refused, choosing instead to walk down the solitary path of heroism and ideals to the end. The circumstances were a bit different, but there was no doubt whatsoever that this was the same man.

And Shirou had a pretty good idea what he was going to ask.

"So, Shirou…" Cao Cao smiled, his hand still extended towards him, "Do you want to be a hero?"

And unlike Archer, Shirou took his hand.

* * *

So, Shirou is now officially a member of the Hero Faction of the Khaos Brigade! I can't wait for him to meet with everyone's favorite Breast Dragon Emperor, but that won't be for a little while. Still, next time you'll get a bit more information on the circumstances around Shirou's appearance in the DxD verse.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and feel free to leave a review!


	3. Among the Heroes

Heroes 3

Merry Christmas! Updates inbound!

Disclaimer: I don't own DxD or Fate/Stay Night. No profit made from this story, etc.

* * *

It'd been a few days since Cao Cao and Siegfried had broken into his apartment to offer him a job. As dubious as the offer sounded, he at least wanted to use the opportunity to find out as much as he could about this world. During that time, in between learning about the existence of devils, angels and fallen angels, all of whom were apparently joining forces, he'd met with the descendants of Medea, Johann Georg Faust, and even a girl who claimed to be 'the inheritor' of the will of Joan of Arc. There were also huge numbers of people wielding 'the sacred gears', but none of them seemed even remotely capable of fighting. Still, every person he talked to had a story to tell, and the clear evil that they all had to share was the devils, fallen angels, and by extension even the heavenly angels who had allied with them.

After laying in bed for a few minutes, he sat up. Carefully, he loosed the shroud on his right arm just a bit to allow Archer's arm to possess him a tiny bit. Closing his eyes, he entered into that world.

 _Throughout the months, he'd spent learning to wield Archer's skill, he'd meditated in this place dozens of times. In the process, he'd seen what Archer had endured. The memories alone were enough to make him nauseous. Knowing what he does now, he couldn't exactly fault Archer for being so cynical._

 _In the center of the Unlimited Blade Works, Shirou found the only weapons that weren't fit to be used. The only weapons he couldn't call upon, no matter how hard he tried. A single bow with a snapped string. The shattered remains of a dagger made of crystal. An old shinai that was rotting away. A gun with a destroyed barrel. A golden cup tarnished with sand and blood. Older, less refined copies of Kanshou and Bakuya. And in the center, a familiar sword stuck in a rusted sheath._

 _When he'd found this place, he'd delved deeper and deeper into Archer's past, trying to find the reason that these, and only these, were unfit for combat. And when he did, he immediately wished he hadn't._

 _Sakura. Rin. Taiga. Kiritsugu. Illya. Himself. And Saber._

 _To Archer, who threw them all away in the pursuit of his ideals, this was the only memorial he had to the people he loved._

 _As always, that man was sitting with his back to the old Kanshou and Bakuya. His eyes closed, he didn't react, no matter what happened. Whether he was talked to or attacked, he silently sat in that spot, unmoving. This man, who even in death couldn't leave this world. This truly was the world where he gained and lost everything._

 _As much as Shirou hated to admit it, he and Archer were far more alike than either of them would like. So, Shirou sat directly behind him and meditated within that world of never-ending swords._

Before he finished, however, he was brought back to his senses by a knock on the door.

"What?" He asked without getting out of bed.

"Cao Cao has a mission for you." Joanne's voice said from the other side.

"Got it." He sighed, tightening the shroud he'd loosened to mediate, and leaving the room. Joanne was already gone before he got there, and he suppressed a smile. She was a bit of an ass, but she did at least remind him of Tohsaka, if slightly more of a bitch and with fewer redeeming qualities.

Cao Cao was exactly where he'd been before Shirou left to rest, in the mission planning room of the Hero Faction's headquarters.

When Shirou walked in, he waved, "Sorry to spring this on you like this, but I got a job that might be just up your alley."

"No worries." Shirou replied, shrugging his shoulders, "I could've used a bit of a warning, but I'm in good shape. What's the job?"

"We came across this in one of our earlier raids." Cao Cao said, picking up an ordinary unmarked folder, "Apparently, it's the location of a recruit the fallen angels managed to find. Azazel himself views him as dangerous."

"The leader of the fallen angel considers a human dangerous?" Shirou asked in disbelief. Even just by reputation, Shirou was well aware of just how powerful he was, and if he had personally made the decision this man was dangerous, then here had to be a reason.

"He does, and that cannot be good for us." Cao Cao nodded, "But with your reputation and skill you displayed fighting Seig, I trust you're strong enough to get the job done."

Shirou couldn't help but notice that he never said that he trusted Shirou himself, only that he trusted his power. But then, if he had trusted him, they probably wouldn't have lasted this long.

"Can I leave it to you?" Cao Cao asked after a moment of letting Shirou read through the brief summary of the terrain, and the mission location, Northern Italy, "No need to do anything dangerous. Go in, assess the situation, and return. If it's as big a threat as we think, we'll make plans accordingly, if not, we'll leave it be."

"I'll do it." Shirou replied, and Cao Cao patted him on the back.

"Good man! Georg is preparing a teleport to the area, so go ahead and report back once you're done." he beamed, "Look after yourself, alright? And stay on your toes. You've got promise, and I'd rather not lose you because you got reckless."

"You know, a friend of mine used to say that I was reckless all the time." Shirou smiled back, exiting the room to start the mission.

Georg was waiting for him down the hall at the transport area.

"I won't be going with you personally." He said casually, "There are a number of other missions that I need to prep for. But I'll be sending a familiar. So, once you're done, give a shout, and I'll have you back before you know it."

"Thanks." Shirou said, giving a wave, and Georg waved back. Instantly, Shirou was transported into a heavily wooded area surrounding a mountain. According to the report they'd gotten from the Fallen angels, the target had been staying in a cave at the base of the mountain since he'd run afoul of Azazel's organization.

The entrance to the cave was fairly well hidden behind a magical barrier, but it would only take one shot from an arrow to destroy it completely. But that would have to wait. He couldn't do anything until he made sure that any fallen angels in the area were taken out.

After spending the better part of an hour searching, he could find no trace of anyone concealing themselves, and since he wasn't attacked during his search, he set out on the mission. Creating his swords, he approached the entrance. The barrier allowed him to pass without incident, though leaving would probably pose more of a challenge.

"I never thought it'd be you who'd find this place, Shirou Emiya." A sickeningly familiar voice said from further into the cave, and Shirou's blood ran cold. Increasing his pace, he kept running until he found the one speaking. A priest with a smile as cold as his body the last time they'd meet.

"Kotomine...!" Shirou growled, creating his bow and notching an arrow in less than a second.

"Of course." He responded without showing concern for the weapon pointed at him, "You sound surprised. Or did you come here unaware of what you'd find?"

"I wasn't." Shirou admitted, drawing the bowstring back, "I much prefer you dead, though."

"That's awfully cold of you." Kirei smirked, "Since the last time we met, I could've killed you. Either by slitting your throat as you lay there unconscious or simply by leaving you to be destroyed by that arm. Instead, I restored the shroud's power and spared you. Shouldn't you be thanking me?"

"I don't have anything to thank you for!" He replied, releasing the arrow. The noble phantasm shot forward faster than the human eye could possibly see, but Kirei swatted it out of the air without even trying.

"I, on the other hand, have much to thank you for." Kotomine said, turning his back to Shirou even after the attempt on his life, "Never would I have thought that I'd be revived, twice, by the holy grail. Even if both times were merely a coincidence, I certainly won't complain."

"What are you talking about?"

"Your wish, boy." He grinned, "You wished to be a hero, didn't you? So, like your father. Who knows what the result was for that world, or even if that world still exists? Regardless, I was brought back to life as well. Because, after all, what good is a Hero if there is no Villain?" Shirou fired another arrow at his retreating form, but to his shock, the priest grabs it out of the air and tosses it back at the same speed, "Rejoice, Shirou Emiya!" He chuckled in clear mockery of their first meeting as Shirou jumps to the side to avoid the lethal projectile, "You've been chosen to be the hero of this story. Will you prevail, or will evil triumph over good? I'm looking forward to this more than I can describe. Until next time, my foe."

"Wait!" Shirou shouted, running after him, and Kirei held up a hand.

"If you wish to end the story here, I will indulge you." He smiled, pointing towards a wall, "Though I would have thought that the hero came here to rescue the captured princess, not to die fighting a pointless battle."

"What are-" Shirou asked, but he didn't have to finish the sentence. He'd be soon caught up with the priest, he hadn't noticed the rest of the room. More accurately, the person chained to the wall, covered in blood, "SAKURA!" He roared, turning on Kirei again, but Kotomine blocked his sword with one hand.

"I haven't killed her, silly boy." Kirei said, with a cruel smirk, shattering Kanshou with his bare hand, "Not yet, at least. If you hurry, maybe she can be saved. But certainly, her life will end the moment you come after me."

Gritting his teeth, he backed away from the priest, who gave yet another mock bow before running again. Recreating Kanshou, he used the two blades to destroy the chains holding her to the wall, catching her before she hit the ground. For once, Kirei was telling the truth. Her muscles had clearly atrophied from disuse, and she didn't show any signs of consciousness, but he could still feel her vitals. Her breathing was almost nonexistent, but as long as she was alive, there was a chance...

"GEORG!" He roared at the familiar he knew would be watching from somewhere, and he was instantly teleported away from the cave.

* * *

Rin Tohsaka wasn't afraid of death. It was always something on the mind of mage. Having to fight and kill should have been second nature to her. As the head of the Tohsaka family, it was expected of her to defend her territory, no matter the cost. But even knowing that, when it finally came down to it, she couldn't do it. She couldn't kill her little sister.

So, it was only natural for her to die as a result. That was the decision she made, at that moment. She would die so that Sakura, or whatever remained of her, could live. As a mage, it was probably the wrong choice, but as a sister, she wouldn't change it for the world.

Still, she hadn't expected to wake up in heaven, of all place. Sure, she hadn't exactly killed anyone, but she'd still committed her fair share of sins. So, if any of the old stories were true, she had no business being anywhere near heaven.

But sure enough, as soon as she opened her eyes, she was greeted to a breathtaking view of a pure white city atop the clouds. Countless angels were flying through the air, and there was even one standing a few feet away from her. Unlike the others, rather than beautiful white wings, he had six sets of golden wings on his back.

"Good morning." He smiled at her, "Well, on earth, 'Good Evening' would be more appropriate, but we don't have night here. How are you feeling?"

"Fine, I guess." She answered, still taking in the sight, "So, I'm dead then? Not exactly surprised by that, but I wasn't expecting to end up here."

"To be exact, no you aren't dead." The angel replied, to her confusion.

"I'm not dead, but I'm in Heaven?" She asked, and he nodded his head, "How does that work?"

"Well, I can answer that, but first, I was hoping you might tell me about yourself."

"I thought that you guys were all watching over us. Shouldn't you already know?" She asked, narrowing her eyes slightly in doubt.

"Indeed we do, but you see, as far as we can tell, you did not exist in this world before you appeared in the center of Rome in a coma three years ago." he answered truthfully, to Rin's absolute shock, "In that time, we've tried numerous ways to revive you, but had been unsuccessful until very recently. With the aid of some recent allies, we reached a means of reviving you, but we're just as in the dark as the day you arrived. I'm hoping that you could fill us in on how you came to be here."

After taking a few seconds to digest all of that, Rin sighed and laid back on her bed, "Well, I'd get comfortable, because this could take a while."

* * *

Thankfully, Georg was prepared for Shirou return, as he immediately started to tend to her wounds. Within minutes, several users of Twilight Healing had arrived, and Shirou transported Sakura to the infirmary for treatment. Cao Cao arrived not long after, but he didn't say a word through the night. Finally, come morning, though she hadn't shown any signs of waking, she was at least breathing normally under her own power, and her pulse was up.

"So, you guys have history?" Cao Cao said from just behind Shirou, who was still sitting at Sakura's bedside, "You and this priest, I mean."

"The last time we met, I killed him." He answered, then sighed, staring at Sakura as well, "And he wasn't the only one. I killed my friend, my servant, and her. And even my sister died saving me. Because of me, all of them died."

"That's rough." Cao Cao said softly, setting his spear up against the wall, and pulling a chair up to sit beside him, "I don't know if God has a cruel sense of humor, or if it's simply a curse, but the lives of heroes, and those closest to them, never seem to know peace. I can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like for you to kill those close to you, and I can't tell you why she and that priest are still alive." Here, he smiled very slightly, "I suspect that you know more than a bit about that, but I won't press the issue. I'm taking you off active duty for a while. Stick around, train, and watch her. Alright? You're a valuable asset. I can't have you in the field if your mind's preoccupied with thoughts of her."

"Thank you, Cao Cao." He said truthfully, and Cao Cao waved it off.

"I'm still interested in that priest, so I'll see if I can find him. Who knows, maybe he knows what happened to her."

* * *

Over the next few days, Shirou stayed beside Sakura's bedside most of the day. She hadn't shown any sign of waking, but neither the doctor with Twilight Healing or Georg were concerned, both confident that she'd wake in a matter of days, at the most.

One day, while Shirou was waiting, the door opened, and the person who walked in wasn't anyone he recognized. It was a small girl with long black hair wearing Gothic Lolita clothes and a completely emotionless face.

"So, this is the girl." She said, looking down at Sakura, "She's like me, but different..."

"Who are you?" Shirou asked despite a sense of foreboding.

"Don't mind us." Someone said from just behind him, and he turned around as quickly as he was able. Leaning against a wall was a man with silvery white hair, eyes locked on Shirou but clearly not intending to start a fight, "I heard a rumor about a girl who got rescued by one of Cao Cao's new prospect, so I thought I'd stop by. Didn't think Ophis would want to come too, but you don't have to worry. We didn't come to do anything." Ignoring the obvious look of mistrust and turning away from Shirou, he said, "So, what do you mean, Ophis? She's certainly not a dragon. Are you implying she's also 'infinite'?"

"She isn't." Ophis answered, still staring at her, "But she also is."

"Well that's not confusing in the slightest." The silver haired man laughed, looking Shirou in the eye, "So, have you got any idea what she means? I imagine that you probably know her better than either of us."

"I haven't a clue." Shirou lied immediately, and he shrugged.

"Well, that's fine. I think we've taken up enough of your time. Ophis, are you ready to go?"

"I want to talk with Cao Cao before we go." She answered, finally taking her eyes off of Sakura and turning to Shirou, "Both of you intrigue me." She said, leaving without waiting for a response.

On his way out, the man smiled back at Shirou, "My name is Vali Lucifer. We'll see each other again, I'm sure."

Giving a casual wave, he walked out of the door without another word.

Later that day, Shirou stepped out to get some fresh air, going to the Hero Faction's training ground. All around, over a dozen people were sparring or practicing with their sacred gears. Some manipulated flames or ice, while other used swords or spears or axes.

The largest group, though, was in the back watching an amazing match. Siegfried was one of them, wielding all five of his swords thanks to the additional arms growing out of his back. Opposite him, a swordsman with short and tidy blonde hair was holding only a single longsword, but the aura coming off of it was incredible. It wasn't the strongest he'd ever felt, and compared to the demonic swords Siegfried was using, it wasn't anything special. But there was something about the presence that he couldn't place.

The two were evenly matched, though given that Siegfried was clearly fighting as hard as he could and the other wasn't even breaking a sweat, the impressive battle became a bit more one sided.

"Your skills are as impressive as always." The blonde said, after a few moments, "Mastering five legendary swords will be grueling task, but I believe you'll manage it just fine."

"Don't mock me!" Siegfried growled, having long since realized that he was being toyed with, "Arthur, I will be the one to defeat you. Don't you dare lose to anyone else."

"I'm sure that you'll try." Arthur replied, sheathing his sword, "But not today." The crowd cheered in excitement, applauding the two for the amazing battle, and Arthur gave a small bow. Siegfried, meanwhile, walked away without saying anything. "Is there anyone else who'd like to spar?" Arthur asked, looking around the group, but none of them stepped forward.

Shirou, meanwhile, finally placed the presence, and to confirm his suspicions he stepped forward.

"I'll take you on." He said, creating Kanshou and Bakuya to the roaring cheers of the crowd.

Smiling, Arthur drew his sword again, "I don't believe we've had the pleasure. I am Arthur Pendragon. May I ask your name?"

"Shirou Emiya." He responded, confirming his suspicions. 'This presence is just like Saber's.' he thought to himself, taking his stance across from Arthur.

"I will allow you the first move." Arthur said, his sword held lightly at his side. Nodding, Shirou charged, swinging his blades at his open left side. But even going for the opening, Arthur almost casually guarded, parrying both his blades and counter attacking with superhuman precision. It was only a last second turn of the head that let him dodge.

Putting some distance between them, Shirou wiped the sweat from his brow while Arthur just smiled.

"I'll admit, you're stronger than you appear." He said casually, holding his stance and not actively attacking, "I thought I knew everyone who could keep pace with me, but I see now that I missed one."

"'Keep pace' my ass." Shirou spit, "You're not even trying and we both know it."

"Well, I'd hardly be the only one in this case." He replied, pointing his sword towards Shirou's left arm, "Or is there another reason you haven't unleashed that arm? Surely using its power would give you a considerable increase in power. You may well surpass me."

"I'm sure I could." Shirou replied, "You wouldn't be the first Arthur Pendragon to fall if I did."

Arthur's eye shot up, "What a curious thing to say. No bearer of the name 'Arthur' has been killed in over two centuries. Are you implying that you've lived so long?"

"I'm not implying anything." Shirou answered, charging again. This time, he didn't bother aiming for any opening he might've left. He'd just block anyway. So, it was better to try and create an opening he wasn't prepared to defend. The swords in his hand were only rough creations, only slightly stronger than ordinary swords, but the skills with which he wielded them were equal to Archer's, so it shouldn't be possible for a human to overcome them. If he did…

Midway through the barrage of attacks, Arthur's expression changed. No longer was it just a casual interest. Instead, it was filled with fierce determination. Instead of parrying Shirou's attacks the way that he'd been doing until then, he slowly started to push back. It wasn't long until he was dishing out nearly as many attacks as Shirou despite being armed with only a single sword.

The crowd wasn't cheering anymore. Every one of them was taking in the battle in shock. What should've been a one-sided exhibition of the greatest swordsmen in the world turned into what could only be described as an even battle.

Shirou's mana was starting to run low. He'd long since lost count of the number of blades he'd projected, and though it wasn't a problem to project them anymore, sustained usage on a level like this was beyond him as long as he hadn't mastered Archer's arm.

"What's wrong?" Arthur asked in the middle of their melee, "You seem preoccupied. Getting tired already?"

"No." Shirou answered putting some distance between them. "But I'm done playing around." Slowly, he started to chant as the memories flowed through his mind and body, "I am the bone of my sword."

Defying Arthur's expectations, he threw both Kanshou and Bakuya, charging forward at the same time. Narrowing his eyes, Arthur nonetheless deflected both swords before they could hit him.

"Steel is my flesh and Fire is my blood."

In that short moment, Shirou projected a second pair of swords and attacked him while he was open. Rather than blocking, Arthur dodged them by the skin of his teeth, bringing his sword down at the same time to block the thrown swords' return path.

"I have crafted over a thousand swords."

Tossing aside the swords in his hand, he created two that Archer had modified for this exact purpose. The Triple-Linked Crane Wings. It was almost unbearable using archer's technique, but without it, he'd never be able to win against someone of Arthur's caliber.

"Got you!" Shirou roared, going in for the decisive blow with Kanshou and Bakuya Overedge. A clear sound rang out as the blade in his hand shattered instantly upon contact with a long two handed sword that Arthur had called to his left hand, a sword that Shirou knew immediately from his dreams. Before Shirou could react, Arthur's first sword stabbed him in the stomach. The wound wasn't very deep, and it certainly wasn't going to kill him, but it was still extremely painful.

"You're exceptionally skilled." Arthur said calmly, lowering Caliburn to his side before all of them were blinded by an intense flash of light.

The pain coursing through Shirou's body started to numb away, though he could feel the blood still flowing out of the gaping wound in his stomach. Looking up as the light dimmed, he saw Arthur looking at him in surprise,

"What are you, Shirou Emiya?" He asked, gripping Caliburn with both hands, and before Shirou could respond, they were interrupted by clapping.

"That was seriously the best fight I've ever seen." Cao Cao laughed, stepping between them and smiling at Shirou, "I knew you were a good find, but I never dreamed you'd be able to match Arthur so quickly!" Smirking, he turned to the crowd of onlookers, "So, Jeanne, do you still have any complaints about his skills? Can you truthfully say that someone who can match Arthur shouldn't be welcomed among us?"

Jeanne's face flushed in embarrassment and rather than answer, she walked out of the room.

Just behind Cao Cao, both Vali and Ophis strolled up to Arthur.

"It's about time to get moving." Vali said to him, looking back over his shoulder at Shirou, "So, is he really that good?"

"Indeed." Arthur smiled, swinging Caliburn and ripping straight through the air. A hole appeared as he cut and both Vali and Ophis walked through immediately. Arthur, meanwhile, turned to face Shirou one last time.

"I'm afraid that we'll have to cut our match short, Shirou Emiya." He bowed, "Until next time."

And without waiting for a response, he followed the other two and disappeared.

"You alright?" Cao Cao asked, patting him on the back, "Need to get that wound taken care of?"

"I think I'll be alright." Shirou sighed, placing a hand to the hole in his stomach. He could feel the injury knitting itself together, something which hadn't happened since he'd arrived in this world. "It's already healing."

"Healing too?" Cao Cao grinned, "Is there nothing you can't do? Still, I think you outta get it looked at anyway. While you're talking to the little lady, of course."

It took a moment for Shirou to grasp what he was getting at. "She's awake?!" he asked sharply, and Cao Cao nodded.

"That's why I came to find yo- and he's already gone." Cao Cao chuckled, watching Shirou sprint down the hall, "He's a strange one, but no denying he's got potential."

* * *

Yes, Sakura's alive. Might come as a surprise to some, but I did kinda put her in the pairing, so... Anyway, Shirou's going to have his first real interaction with the DxD cast either the end of next chapter or early in the next, then he'll be forming his own view of conflict instead of just taking Cao Cao's word for everything. Which won't lead to him simply saying 'Fuck the Khaos Brigade' and joining the good guys, because that would be boring. Not saying more than that.

Now, onto a general writing status/update you should know going forward. I recently got a new job, and as such, my time spent writing has been reduced quite a bit. Between work and sleep, most of my writing is done on my day off with my beta, and while he does work on this story (I tend to prioritize stories he works on when I'm with him), it's also only one of many, so I can't guarantee I'll be working on it constantly. I understand that it's something you all want to see continued, and I vow to continue it, but while I'm adjusting to the new job and hours and such, I ask for your patience if the pace of the chapters slows back down. Thank you for understanding, and as always, I look forward to reading your reviews.


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